Is Christiendom College a good school to attend (Front Royal, Shenandoah: high school, universities)

[lvg92]

My brother is graduating this year and is looking at Universities. He is pretty much set on GMU, Shenandoah, JMU or Marymount (in that order).

I dont want him to follow in my path and spend 8 years getting a Bachelors at a crappy school. We went and visited Shenandoah last week and on the way back we stopped in Front Royal. While there we saw signs for Christendom College. We researched it and it seems like a really good school. He wants to study political science and economics and not only do they offer it, they seem to have a top notch staff.

Does anyone know anything about this school? Is it good? Do employers in the DC area value a degree from Christendom?

[apexgds]

Originally Posted by lvg92

Does anyone know anything about this school? Is it good? Do employers in the DC area value a degree from Christendom?

The school has fewer than 500 students. I doubt most employers in the DC area have heard of it, much less value a degree from there (unless they're Catholic).

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by lvg92

My brother is graduating this year and is looking at Universities. He is pretty much set on GMU, Shenandoah, JMU or Marymount (in that order).

I dont want him to follow in my path and spend 8 years getting a Bachelors at a crappy school. We went and visited Shenandoah last week and on the way back we stopped in Front Royal. While there we saw signs for Christendom College. We researched it and it seems like a really good school. He wants to study political science and economics and not only do they offer it, they seem to have a top notch staff.

Does anyone know anything about this school? Is it good? Do employers in the DC area value a degree from Christendom?

It's an ultra-religious Catholic school. He should prepare for that in both studies (certainly not teaching both sides of the story) and campus life (very strict rules).

Most DC employers would say "Where?" if Christendom was mentioned.

If he plans to stay in this area, GMU is, no doubt, the best for him of the ones listed.

[lvg92]

Originally Posted by spencgr

It's an ultra-religious Catholic school. He should prepare for that in both studies (certainly not teaching both sides of the story) and campus life (very strict rules).

Most DC employers would say "Where?" if Christendom was mentioned.

If he plans to stay in this area, GMU is, no doubt, the best for him of the ones listed.

He said he'd only go to GMU for economics, Marymount or Shenandoah for Political science.



He's leaning towards Shenandoah.

[Vectorhead]

Originally Posted by spencgr

It's an ultra-religious Catholic school. He should prepare for that in both studies (certainly not teaching both sides of the story) and campus life (very strict rules).

Most DC employers would say "Where?" if Christendom was mentioned.

If he plans to stay in this area, GMU is, no doubt, the best for him of the ones listed.

I agree that Christendom isn't well known. I've lived here for 10 years and have never heard of it. That doesn't mean it's not a great school, but it does mean that a lot of employers might not have heard of it.

But of the rest, I'd tend to list JMU at least as high as GMU. No doubt that GMU is a great school and is getting better every year. But JMU has been a good school for a lot longer and has at least as much name recognition as GMU, even if it isn't quite as local.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by lvg92

He said he'd only go to GMU for economics, Marymount or Shenandoah for Political science.



He's leaning towards Shenandoah.

No offense to those who went there, but Shenandoah is not a good academic school. You said you went to a bad school....may I ask where you attended?

[lvg92]

Originally Posted by spencgr

No offense to those who went there, but Shenandoah is not a good academic school. You said you went to a bad school....may I ask where you attended?

I originally attended UT Martin in Tennessee but I left, went to NVCC and then to JMU.

And to the other poster who said JMU is better than the others, I agree with you. I have been trying to get him to go to there but doesn't want to be too far from DC (And since he is a Poly sci major, I dont blame him).

[ChristineVA]

My SIL went to Christendom. It is ULTRA conservative Catholic. Many of my son's Catholic High School teachers went there. Unless you are a very religious Catholic, do not go there. I don't think the school rings any bells with employers either.

My son attends JMU. He really likes it. Good school, not overly easy to get into anymore. It's a 2 hour drive to DC. Not bad at all. Of all his choices and his major (since he doesn't want JMU), he should go to GMU. Cross Shenendoah off the list. A few kids with not-so-good GPAs are pushed there. But they also have a good music program.

[lvg92]

He still has a year to decide. JMU is on his list, but he's looking at Colleges near DC first. I still have 8 months to talk him into the into going to JMU.

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by lvg92

My brother is graduating this year and is looking at Universities. He is pretty much set on GMU, Shenandoah, JMU or Marymount (in that order).

I dont want him to follow in my path and spend 8 years getting a Bachelors at a crappy school. We went and visited Shenandoah last week and on the way back we stopped in Front Royal. While there we saw signs for Christendom College. We researched it and it seems like a really good school. He wants to study political science and economics and not only do they offer it, they seem to have a top notch staff.

Does anyone know anything about this school? Is it good? Do employers in the DC area value a degree from Christendom?

It is a extremely conservative college that has a dress code. Men must wear a jacket and tie to class, for example.

I would avoid it if you want your brother to have a normal college experience and to be treated as an adult. His other choices are all solid.

As an employer, I would not look upon a graduate of Christiandom with favor. I would view them in the same way as I would graduates of Liberty, Bob Jones or Oral Roberts - only Roman Catholic.

Avoid at all costs.